In a charming nod to genuine events within the Royal Family, Netflix’s newly released film, “Red, White & Royal Blue,” elegantly weaves in a reference to a significant occurrence: the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Derived from the book of the same name by American author Casey McQuiston, the movie presents a creative spin on the British Royal Family. The storyline follows the intriguing love story between Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) and Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the son of the U.S. president.
The film’s appeal is heightened by its inclusion of subtle Easter eggs that eagle-eyed royal enthusiasts have eagerly identified. “Red, White & Royal Blue” showcases a fictional royal wedding at Buckingham Palace, uniting Prince Philip (Thomas Flynn), next in line for the throne, with Princess Martha (Bridget Benstead). The wedding festivities feature a grand wedding cake that dominates the reception. A seemingly casual remark from Galitzine’s character in the film, “They practically had to break the doors down to get it inside,” is laden with significance.
This reference harkens back to an actual event during the real-life wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. A documentary aired in 2021 unveiled a delightful detail: a door at Buckingham Palace needed to be temporarily removed from its hinges to allow the cake-laden trolley to pass through into the state apartments. Fiona Cairns, the cake’s designer, shared this charming anecdote.
Cairns recounted the Queen’s playful response upon discovering the unconventional situation: “When the queen came to see us, the cake wasn’t completely finished. I remember her saying: ‘I hear that you’ve been dismantling my house?'” Cairns’ response, explaining that a door had been temporarily removed from a lower room for the cake’s passage, elicited amusement. Importantly, everything was restored to its original state without any lasting impact.
“Red, White & Royal Blue” achieves a masterful fusion of fictional storytelling with genuine historical events. This integration has captivated royal enthusiasts and injected a delightful layer of authenticity into the cinematic experience. Through clever nods such as these, the film not only entertains but also pays tribute to the rich tapestry of royal history.
